sin Every mans heart is fraught with the principles and habits of every sin his heart is a full treasure of wickedness We may all sigh out that doleful complaint of Paul O miserable men that we are because of a body of death within us Do some run greedily into drunkenness Do others run greedily into uncleanness Do some commit fornication Do some tempt Christ and others murmure against God Do some run into those muta peccata into unnatural sins Thou art naturally prone to act the same sins yea the greatest sins that ever were acted if thou dost not take heed and beware of them Other mens abominable vices are looking-glasses wherein we may behold the face of our own hearts and natural inclinations As face answereth face so doth the heart of man answer the heart of man 'T was an arrogant speech of that Pharisee God I thank thee I am not as other men are nor as this Publican seeing he had as vile an heart as unjust an heart as yonder Publican We tremble at the thoughts of the sins which Cain and Judas acted and ever judge them worthy of that place where they are we are as naturally sinful as Cain as Judas prone to act the same wherefore we must take heed in respect of our natural proneness lest we fall the same weeds will spring up in our lives if we take no heed to pluck up these roots of bitterness 2. Because we are subject to the same temptations as others are wherefore let us take heed lest we fall into the same sins into which others do Gal. 6.1 The same fruit with which the Serpent beguiâ—ed Eve he seduced Adam The Divel can find out a Babylonish garment and a golden wedge to tempt thee as he did Acban Thirty pieces of silver may entice thee to betray Christ as it did Judas Abel's holiness may be an occasion to stir up malice in thee as it did in Cain Common experience testifieth that all are subject to the same temptations were there a general communication about temptations this would be the general vote nemine contradicente we are aâ—l tempted to pride to lust to covetousness to distrust to despair c. what sin is there to which we are not tempted Every one that hath any experience of Satans malice and takes any notice of sinful suggestions darted by Satan will say within himself as Luther once said I think the Divel hath no other work to do but to tempt poor Luther Wherefore take heed lest some temptation or other take you by the heel as Jacob did Esau and supplant you the less heed we take the more prevalent temptations are Satans fiery darts will soon set us on fire of hell if we do not take heed of him Reas 3. Because there is a snare laid in every thing to entrap us wherefore let us take heed lest we fall Alas for me saith S. Bernard I see wars providing for me on every side Hei mihi quia undique mihi tela video undique tela volant undique tentamenta undique pericula quocunque me vertam nulla est securitas quae mulcent qua tristant omnia timeo Bernard p. 1061. weapons tentations dangers flye about me and assail me wheresoever I go which way shall I turn me There is no safe being any where I am afraid of every thing of such things as delight me and of such things also as molest and make me sad Antoninus dreamed that there were snares laid over all the world to entrap him it was his dream but there are snares really laid in all places to ensnare our souls In the way wherein I walked saith David have they privily laid a snare for me and in the way and places wherein we are daily walking and travelling do these baits lie they are the things which we continually look upon hear of handle taste feel and make use of The Divel lays his snares in our shops in our houses in the fields in the streets in every company he lays snares on our tables Nemo unquam hostis tam periculosus quam in improbos prosperitas sua Senec. Epist 32. Meruis longa atque insiguis honorum pagina Juvenal Sat. 10. he lays a snare in our gifts parts duties to draw us to pride and hypocrisie he turns every stone that he might make us fall As S. Paul speaks of himself that he became all things to all men that he might gain some so we may say of the Divel he becomes all things to all men in his way that he might gain men to himself The Historian observeth of Cataline that when he began his rebellion he applied himself to every mans humour to draw him into the same rebellion if he saw a man covetous he tempted him with money if he saw a man ambitious he proffer'd honours preferments and promotions to him to ensnare him Thus doth Satan if we are covetous he hath an Achan's wedge for us if we be addicted to honour he can shew us all the glory of the world c. Reas 4. Because of the malice of Satan The Divel hath the greatest malice against the Professors of Piety therefore he is called their Adversary Your Adversary the Divel goes about like a roaring Lion saith Peter 1 Pet. 5.8 The Divel is not called a wicked mans Adversary he is called their Father Ye are of your Father the Divel saith Christ to the wicked Jews John 8.44 Our Saviour told Peter Satan desireth to winnow thee He doth not so much desire to winnow a wicked man Christ saith of them that they will do the works of their Father they are as willing and forward to sin as the Divel is to have them to sin A Fisher-man had rather catch one fish then a thousand frogs Satan would rather draw a Professor to sin then a thousand profane persons As David said of Goliah's sword There is none like that so the Divel of the sins of professing Christians there is no sin like theirs no fall like a Saints fall no adultery like that of David his adultery was more advantagious to Satan then the blasphemies of a thousand Rabshekahs that as our Saviour saith of the conversion of a sinner There is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth more then over ninety and nine just persons which need no repentance Luke 15.7 so there is joy in hell in the presence of the Divel and his Angels over the fall of one godly man more then over the abominable practices of ninety and nine profane persons for the Divel knoweth 1. That God is more dishonoured and more blasphemed by the fall of one Professor of Religion then by seven falls of wicked men daily 2. He knoweth that his fall will bring a greater disgrace and discredit to Religion thereby the Gospel and the godly are evil spoken of 3. He knoweth the falls of godly men like the fall of Amasa in the mid-way do hinder people from following after Christ
of man frequent labours though but little beget an aptitude to endure greater a little rent in a garment makes it fit to receive a wider every nail and thorn is apt to take hold of it and to make the rent broader Qui minima contemnit paulatim decidit he that takes no heed of lesser sins falls by degrees into greater absurdities I think that more go to Hell for smaller sins then for great ones lesser sins persisted in provoke the Divel to assault us with stronger temptations as a maids easie yielding to some lesser toyings provokes the Wanton to tempt her to greater indecencies The beginnings of sin saith a Learned man are modest Principia peccati modesta sunt Satan tempts us but to small matters at first but if he find us give way to him therein then like bold beggars he sets upon us for greater courtesies Men are more apt to commit lesser sins then greater for if a man fall into a great sin 1. It is always in his fight it stares him in the face his Conscience often bites and stings him for it Medica sunt qua perdunt and 2. Lesser sins are often committed and quickly forgotten therefore they are small sins that destroy most men Therefore let me tell those that think their case well if they can be taxed but for one or two sins and being told of it they answer it is all their fault That as small sins destroy so will a few small ones one knife in thy throat is enough to dispatch thee one bullet in thy guts will kill thee and one sin in thy heart is enough to destroy thee 2. To what we must take heed 1. Take heed to your heart In all thy keepings keep thy heart Prov. 4.23 he only that knoweth the sinfulness and deceitfulness of the heart saith it is deceitful above all things Men are deceitful sin is deceitful the Divel is deceitful but there 's no such deceitfulness in them as is in our hearts every one of us carrieth his own supplanter within his breast Be sure to keep sin out of your hearts if Satan can get and keep possession of our hearts he hath won the main fort of the soul no part of man can sin without the heart the heart can sin without all the rest the Fox goeth to the flock purposing to devour a Lamb and is prevented by the vigilance of the Shepherd yet vulpes exit vulpes egreditur he goes forth a Fox and cometh home a Fox the heart intendeth a sin which is never brought into action yet it sinneth in that intention He that looks upon a woman to lust after her saith our Saviour hath committed adultery in his heart Math. 5. The heart is like a Mill if the wind or water be violent the Mill will go whether the Miller will or no yet he may chuse what kind of grain it shall grind if the affections be strong and violent the heart will be working Be sure to keep sin out of your hearts and suffer not one known sin willingly to root there It is said of Creta that no serpent nor venemous thing will live there but dye as soon as it cometh into that Island such an antipathy there is between them and the nature of that soil so let us be affected toward sin let us labour to keep it out of our hearts knowing that a bad guest is more easily kept out then thrust out of doors but if we cannot do that let us labour to smother and stiffle it as soon as it cometh there 2. Take heed to your affections It is the Wisemans advice When ye go into the House of God take heed to your feet Eccles 5.1 take heed to your feet wheresoever you go if a man hath a love to sin he will fall into sin when opportunity serveth the affections are the feet of the soul see that your affections be ordered according to the dictates of faith sincerely and constantly cleaving to all good in an holy order and shunning all evils in their several kinds and degrees as they are discovered to be evil by the power of faith judging according to the word of truth see that your affections be moved by sound reasons cleerly apprehended then you will not love what you should hate let your affections keep within the pale of sound Reason and move according to her information it is very dangerous to give way to loose affections if once they have broken the bands of reason they will hurry us up and down into many inconveniences 3. Take heed to your outward senses especially the ear and the eye Greg. Nazianzen Greg. Nâ—â—â—ianz said That if a man would live in the world he must have a vail on his eyes a lock on his ears and a compass on his lips If these two senses be not watched they will be like Simeon and Levi brethren in evil the senses are the out-works if Satan once take the out-works he will quickly master the fort within 1. Take heed to your ears do not listen to the voice of hellish charmers charming never so sweetly corrupt communication dum aurem afficit animam interficit while it affects and pleaseth the ear it killeth the soul Joseph would not hearken to the sollicitations of his wanton Mistress though she spake to him day by day Gen. 39.10 2. Take heed to your eyes Prov. 23.26 David prayeth Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity Psal 119. The first sin that ever was committed entred in by the eye Gen. 3.6 Physitians observe that death first seizeth on the eyes because sin first seized on them at these windows most sins creep into our souls looking begets liking in the heart therefore it is not good to look where we may not like The Romans did ill provide for the keeping the Law which they made that Virgins should drink no wine when they permitted them to see it Solomon's wisdom exceeded theirs when to a man that loveth wine well and is apt to be ensnared by it he giveth counsel not to look upon it when it giveth its colour in the cup and moveth it self aright Prov. 23.31 Et licet quidam putent majoris esse virtutis praesentem contemnere voluptatem tamen ego arbitror securioris esse continentia nescire quod quaeras Hier. Ep. ad Laetam Cassian institut lib. 5. c 32. So Hierom in one of his Epistles to Laeta where he giveth direction how to bring up her daughter virtuously among other things adviseth her not to suffer her daughter to see those meats which seeing she might be moved to desire and this his advice he shuts up with these words Though some there be who think it a point of greater virtue to contemn a pleasure when it is present yet I judge it to be a thing of more security not to know or see that thing which one may not safely desire Cassian also reporteth of a certain young man that after he had left
to Christianity again 2. There is less open and a not so notoriously scandalous falling away such as these are still Swine who return to the mire and wallow in it without much noise they backslide in heart from God Some Professors fall like Stars from the Firmament all take notice of them others go out like a candle put under a bushel little observed Oh take heed of falling from God in any of these kinds CHAP. VIII Reasons why we should take heed of falling away from the profession of godliness THe Reasons why we should take heed of falling away from the profession of piety are drawn 1. From the sinfulness of this sin 2. From the dishonour which is cast on God 3. From the judgments following upon it Reas 1. From the nature of this sin there is that sinfulness in this sin which is not in other sins which will appear in these ensuing particulars 1. It is magis directè deordinativum à Deo as the Schoolmen speak every sin is an aversion and deordination from God to the creature but this is more directly deordinate and there is this difference other sins are a departing from God in obliq◠â lineâ rather going aside from God then going away from him going in a wrong way then going in a contrary way but to fall from God is a going from God in directâ lineâ going in a contrary way against God turning the back upon God Christ Holiness Heaven and their faces directly to the world to their lusts to hell like the Moon after she hath been in conjuction with the Sun goeth backward till she be in a diametrical opposition or to use that familiar comparison of some Divines other sins are like the wandrings and runnings of a dog from his Master after every bird and after every sheep he sees in the field and then returns to follow his Master again but this sin of falling away from God is like the dog which goes with his Master some way from home and then leaves him and returns back homeward as fast as he can again therefore see how God complaineth of this sin Jerem. 2.13 My people have committed two evils they have forsaken me and gone to the creature he accounts it two great evils drunkenness adultery and such like is but one single iniquity but to depart from God is double iniquity 't is two evils 2. It is the fundamental breach of the Covenant between God and man so other sins are not it is as the sin of adultery which is the breach of the Matrimonial Covenant all other unkind passages betwixt man and wife are not breaches of it but only of their promise of love and obedience but adultery is the divorcing sin it breaks the knot which nothing can untie but death so it is here other sins are against our duty and the engagement of our obedience to God but to fall away from God is a rejecting of God and of Christ for our God you do ipso facto say in effect that God shall not be your God and Christ shall not be your husband and God again replieth Lo-ammi Loruchamah ye are not my people and I will not be your God I will not have mercy upon you Hos 1.6.9 3. It is dispositivum ad deteriora when a man is acting this sin the Divel hath him on an high pinacle from whence he tumbleth headlong into any sin such a man falls from hypocrisie into open profaneness from open profaneness into Atheism from that into opposition of all that is of God as the Oratour said of some à bonis ad mala à malis ad vitia à vitiis ad deteriora so these men fall from negligence in performances unto a willing neglect from neglect into wilful contempt from contempt into hatred from hatred into opposition Saul was first an Apostate then a Persecuter Judas first an Hypocrite then a Traitor What Bishop Latimer called the sin of covetousness we may call this sin of falling away viz. scalam inferni a ladder by which men go down step by step to the bottom of perdition and destruction 4. It hath nullum motivum ad poenitentiam no motive to repentance 't is the School-mens phrase it shuts men up in impenitency and final hardness Heb. 6.6 and the reason is because falling from God is an ejection of the Spirit of grace and when the Spirit ceaseth from his operation on the heart of such a man it is impossible then for him to repent it is said so of no sin but this a Professor may fall into a gross moral vice as into drunkenness and be renewed again by repentance he may through weakness deny Christ as Peter did and yet be renewed again by repentance there is no sin but this but a man falling into it may be renewed again by repentance CHAP. IX Reas 2. A Second Reason is drawn from the consideration of the great dishonour which is cast on God on Christ on all the ways of God 1. On God as if he were not a good God to enjoy a good Master to serve as if there were no profit in serving the Almighty or that there were more profit in serving base lusts then in serving God See how God complaineth of such Jer. 2.5 Thus saith the Lord What iniquity have your fathers found in me that they are gone far from me So God may say to such revolters you think that I am an unjust God that I have not shewn my self ready to do you good that I am an hard Master exacting like Pharaoh performance of your tasks and pay you no wages what all ye that ye fall off from me declare if there be any iniquity in me what am I a barren wilderness a broken cistern that ye go far from me Aquinas shew me what fault is in me Aquinas gives 3 reasons why men forsake a present enjoyment for another 1. Either it is because it is majoris boni impeditivum because it hinders a man from the enjoyment of a greater good therefore he forsakes it or 2. Because it is fastidiosum it is loathsom and disrelishing or 3. Because it proves minus delectabile minus utile less delightful and less profitable When men fall away from God they charge God with all these 1. They look upon him as an hinderer of a greater good the pleasures of sin the profits of the world are greater good things to them then God is while they follow him they cannot enjoy these things therefore they cast off God to embrace this present world 2. They charge God to be a loathsom God unworthy of their love service and enjoyment therefore they cast him off 3. They charge God not to be so useful so good so necessary as he is Is it not a dishonour that base creatures should cast off their Lord and Creatour as if he were unworthy of their service 2. Fallers away cast insufferable contempt and dishonour on the Lord that bought them the